Politics · Canada · 6 hrs ago
Canada to give high-wage foreign workers more Express Entry points
Canada is changing its Express Entry rules to give some foreign workers a better chance of getting permanent residence.
Immigration Minister Lena Diab said applicants with at least a year of Canadian experience in a high-wage job, or a high-wage job offer, will receive extra points.
The changes take effect on Nov.
3 and cover fields such as engineering.
A high-wage job pays at least 1.3 times the national median wage, and the points awarded will rise with the wage.
The government will remove a labour-market assessment requirement for qualifying job offers, which it says will simplify applications.
Scores for people already in the Express Entry pool will be updated, and the department says this may take up to two weeks.
Permanent residence invitations will pause during the recalculation, after which the updated scores can be used to select applicants.
Canada will give Express Entry applicants additional points if they have at least a year of work experience in a high-wage Canadian job or a high-wage job offer.
Immigration Minister Lena Diab announced the changes on Friday.
The policies will take effect on Nov. 3 and apply to applicants with Canadian work experience or qualifying job offers.
The government will also remove the requirement for employers to prove they cannot find a qualified Canadian for qualifying jobs.
The government says the changes are intended to simplify applications and attract immigrants to high-paying fields.
- Who
- Immigration Minister Lena Diab announced the changes. They affect some applicants for Canadian permanent residence.
- What
- The government will award additional Express Entry points for qualifying high-wage work experience or job offers.
- When
- Announced on Oct. 16, 2026; the policies take effect on Nov. 3.
- Where
- Canada.
- Why
- The government says the changes are intended to simplify applications and attract immigrants to high-paying fields.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Immigration Minister Lena Diab announced the Express Entry changes.
The new policies are scheduled to take effect.
Invitations to apply for permanent residence will be paused while candidates’ scores are updated.
- High-wage threshold
- At least 1.3 times the median wage
- Canadian work experience
- At least one year in a high-wage job
- Implementation date
- Nov. 3, 2026
- Median hourly wage
- $55.03, according to the Canada Job Bank
- Score recalculation
- May take up to two weeks